Me and my family attend the Walkerville dawn service to commemorate ANZAC day, as well as inviting relatives over for dinner. We feel that it is important to commemorate ANZAC day because it respectful to stop and remember the soldiers who fought and died for our country.
My ANZAC Story
In a moment like that you are yourself quite numbed and don’t feel anything. You are completely stunned by the roaring of the cannons and rifles, as also by the screaming of the wounded, and you only briefly have a vague recollection. You become so indifferent too. I can remember that. -Ekkehard Beinssen, Third Ypres
Ekkehard Beinssen
Ekke Beinssen was an odd case; he enrolled for the German army when he was only seventeen, despite being born in Australia. His parents were both from Germany, and a couple of years before war broke out, the whole family had moved back to their home country. Ekke had had no choice in being enrolled to the German army, his father had wanted him to “experience the benefit of a German education,” And became one of the few soldiers who felt obliged to ‘fight on the other side.’
Iron Cross Second class
Ekke enrolled during 1916, and was sent to the front lines of the Third Ypres. During the war he wrote letters to his sister Gerda. These letters were in German, but used English slang and phrases. During his time at the Third Ypres, Ekke won an Iron Cross Second class (Left). When the war ended, he stayed in Germany for a time, but then moved to Australia during a small-scale German immigration in the 1920s.
During the Second World War, Ekkehard, his wife Irmhild and his four children were sent to an internment camp just outside of Rushworth, a camp exclusively for family groups, both Italians and Germans. Rushworth Prisoner of War camp (Camp no. 3), was closed in February 1946. Ekke and his family took a ship named Aquitania to Sydney, where they had another child, but lost her shortly after. Ekke died of lung failure, which was caused by mustard gas during his time as a soldier. In the top left is Irmhild Beinssen and Ekke Beinssen, bottom left are their children, Silke Beinssen, Uwe (Wally) Beinssen and Peter Beinssen.
Theodore Hooke
Theodore (Dick) Hooke (My great grandfather) was enlisted into the Australian military forces in June 1940 with a registration number N75914. He was demobilised later that year. November 1941 he was re-mobilised, then demobilised again 1946. We do not know why he was delisted for the first time.
He travelled to New Guinea on the first trip of the hospital ship ‘Centaur’. Half his group went on the first trip (he was in that group) and half went on the second trip. The ship was torpedoed and sunk on the second trip just off Stradbroke Island, Queensland and most of his colleagues died. He was at an Army Fieald Hospital at Salamaua in New Guinea.
My ANZAC Story Reflection
What have I learnt involving this project? I have learnt a lot about my family that I didn’t previously know, for example I now know a lot about Theo Hooke, whom I had known nothing about before doing this project. I think it is an amazing thing that we get to research our families, as it adds a personal touch, and I find it much more interesting to learn about my own grandparents than another random soldier. I have learnt what life was like during the First World War. I have learnt a lot about Australia as a nation, and what we pride ourselves on, and the origin of the words we use to describe ourselves.
Has being involved in this project changed the way I think about ANZAC day? How? Why? This project has changed the way I think about ANZAC day because now I will remember my great grandparents who fought for their (assorted) countries, as well as thinking more deeply about all the other soldiers who have their own stories. I think this is because now that I have researched them and know some of their details, the ANZACs become less of a legend and more actual people who did amazing things, and people who had family that loved them.
My ANZAC Story - Tess B
Me and my family attend the Walkerville dawn service to commemorate ANZAC day, as well as inviting relatives over for dinner. We feel that it is important to commemorate ANZAC day because it respectful to stop and remember the soldiers who fought and died for our country.My ANZAC Story
In a moment like that you are yourself quite numbed and don’t feel anything. You are completely stunned by the roaring of the cannons and rifles, as also by the screaming of the wounded, and you only briefly have a vague recollection. You become so indifferent too. I can remember that. - Ekkehard Beinssen, Third Ypres
Ekkehard Beinssen
Ekke Beinssen was an odd case; he enrolled for the German army when he was only seventeen, despite being born in Australia. His parents were both from Germany, and a couple of years before war broke out, the whole family had moved back to their home country. Ekke had had no choice in being enrolled to the German army, hisfather had wanted him to “experience the benefit of a German education,” And became one of the few soldiers who felt obliged to ‘fight on the other side.’
Ekke enrolled during 1916, and was sent to the front lines of the Third Ypres. During the war he wrote letters to his sister Gerda. These letters were in German, but used English slang and phrases. During his time at the Third Ypres, Ekke won an Iron Cross Second class (Left).
When the war ended, he stayed in Germany for a time, but then moved to Australia during a small-scale German immigration in the 1920s.
During the Second World War, Ekkehard, his wife Irmhild and his four children were sent to an internment camp just outside of Rushworth, a camp exclusively for family groups, both Italians and Germans. Rushworth Prisoner of War camp (Camp no. 3), was closed in February 1946. Ekke and his family took a ship named Aquitania to Sydney, where they had another child, but lost her shortly after. Ekke died of lung failure, which was caused by mustard gas during his time as a soldier.
In the top left is Irmhild Beinssen and Ekke Beinssen, bottom left are their children, Silke Beinssen, Uwe (Wally) Beinssen and Peter Beinssen.
Theodore Hooke
Theodore (Dick) Hooke (My great grandfather) was enlisted into the Australian military forces in June 1940 with aregistration number N75914. He was demobilised later that year. November 1941 he was re-mobilised, then demobilised again 1946. We do not know why he was delisted for the first time.
He travelled to New Guinea on the first trip of the hospital ship ‘Centaur’. Half his group went on the first trip (he was in that group) and half went on the second trip. The ship was torpedoed and sunk on the second trip just off Stradbroke Island, Queensland and most of his colleagues died. He was at an Army Fieald Hospital at Salamaua in New Guinea.
My ANZAC Story Reflection
What have I learnt involving this project?
I have learnt a lot about my family that I didn’t previously know, for example I now know a lot about Theo Hooke, whom I had known nothing about before doing this project. I think it is an amazing thing that we get to research our families, as it adds a personal touch, and I find it much more interesting to learn about my own grandparents than another random soldier. I have learnt what life was like during the First World War. I have learnt a lot about Australia as a nation, and what we pride ourselves on, and the origin of the words we use to describe ourselves.
Has being involved in this project changed the way I think about ANZAC day? How? Why?
This project has changed the way I think about ANZAC day because now I will remember my great grandparents who fought for their (assorted) countries, as well as thinking more deeply about all the other soldiers who have their own stories. I think this is because now that I have researched them and know some of their details, the ANZACs become less of a legend and more actual people who did amazing things, and people who had family that loved them.
References
Bibliography-
http://ekkebeinssen.blogspot.com.au/
https://books.google.com.au/books?id=QriVKZUxa8IC&pg=PA181&lpg=PA181&dq=Ekkehard+Beinssen&source=bl&ots=gebGSFL2lZ&sig=_oAxKNHMUjYzwsPvzv30tqgghkw&hl=en&sa=X&ei=vfA-VeffIIH3mQXggoC4BA&ved=0CDoQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=Ekkehard%20Beinssen&f=false
https://books.google.com.au/books?id=oPpa3BOx9xwC&pg=PA201&lpg=PA201&dq=ekkehard+beinssen+biography&source=bl&ots=qVz4DPeSRq&sig=c7xEijb7SxrvDcrBGbwtGWOt4xo&hl=en&sa=X&ei=9vs-VbHIIMiSoQT0iYGIAQ&ved=0CC4Q6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=ekkehard%20beinssen%20biography&f=false
https://books.google.com.au/books?id=oPpa3BOx9xwC&pg=PA202&lpg=PA202&dq=Ekkehard+Beinssen&source=bl&ots=qVz4DOlUKn&sig=0CEn2r6ETGtWGNbGwREt_16BX44&hl=en&sa=X&ei=vfA-VeffIIH3mQXggoC4BA&ved=0CDEQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=Ekkehard%20Beinssen&f=false